Here's the scoop: At-home ice cream basics

If you’re an ice cream novice, if you’re in need of a refresher course or if you like to freestyle in the recipe department, this might be the help you’ve been waiting for: base recipes, current standards for various frozen desserts and tips for serving and storing. You may never dip into a store-bought container again.

ICE CREAM RECIPES

ICE CREAM BASE WITH EGGS

Makes enough for 1 1/2 quarts of ice cream

Combine 1 cup whole milk, 1/4 cup sugar and a pinch of salt in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat just until thoroughly warmed through. Whisk 5 large, room-temperature egg yolks in a mixing bowl until lemony in color and slightly foamy. While whisking, gradually pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks; once incorporated, pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook, whisking constantly, to form a custard thick enough to coat a spatula. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding any solids. Cover and chill thoroughly before processing in an ice cream maker.

Combine all ingredients in a blender; puree for at least 30 seconds or until smooth and thoroughly blended. The base can be used right away (add 1/2 cup fruit puree of your choice) or refrigerated for up to 3 days.

SORBET RECIPE (per 1 to 1 1/2 quarts)

Pour 3 cups chilled juice or a juice/water blend into a container. Submerge a whole, uncracked egg in the liquid. As you stir in 2 cups of chilled simple syrup and the mixture becomes saturated with sugar, the egg will bob to the surface. Remove the egg. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of liqueur (to taste) and transfer to the ice cream machine; proceed with the manufacturer’s directions. Add-ins (per 1-to-1 1/2-quart batch)

FRUIT: Start with 3 cups of (stemmed and peeled) chopped ripe fruit. Puree until smooth; if the fruit contains small seeds, pass the puree through a fine-mesh strainer or run it through a food mill before adding.

NUTS: Toast the nuts and lightly salt them. Refrigerate until well chilled. Add 1 to 2 cups (to taste) once the ice cream reaches the soft-serve stage, or fold in after the ice cream has finished processing.

CANDIES and CRYSTALLIZED GINGER: Finely chop, then add 1/2 to 3/4 cup at the soft-serve stage.

HERBS, SPICES and VANILLA BEAN SCRAPINGS: Use them whole/in sprigs to infuse the milk/milk substitute. Strain or remove before adding other ingredients. (You don’t need to strain out the vanilla bean scrapings.)

LIQUEURS and EXTRACTS: Add to the cooled custard in 1/2-teaspoon amounts (before chilling and processing), tasting as you go.